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The Eva Jessye collection contains the personal papers and collected material of Eva Jessye, the first Black woman to be internationally recognized as a professional choral director. Jessye was also a composer, arranger, writer, poet, actress and African American Music historian. Born in Coffeyville, Kansas in 1895, Jessye gained prominence as the conductor for Original Dixie Jubilee Singers, and as choral director for Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thomson's opera Four Saints in Three Acts. Jessye was the choral director for the original production (and many subsequent productions) of Porgy and Bess. The collection includes both materials from Jessye's personal and professional life as well as collected material which documents prominent Black Americans.

The Eva Jessye Collection contains Jessye's personal papers as well as materials she collected. Materials include Jessye's personal notes and a travel diary, as well as her production writings, poetry, and speeches, personal and professional correspondence, collected articles, reviews and programs, as well as family photographs, production and publicity shots.

The Todd Duncan Papers document the life and career of baritone singer Todd Duncan. Trained as a classical singer, Duncan was chosen by George Gershwin to originate the role of Porgy in Gershwin's American folk opera Porgy and Bess. Duncan's career spanned numerous concert tours, productions, and performances. The papers in the collection include photographs, scrapbooks, news stories, and personal papers.

The Todd Duncan Papers consist of scrapbooks, photographs, news stories, production programs, and personal papers documenting the career and life of Todd Duncan. Many of the items are scrapbooks of Duncan's career and tours which feature newspaper clippings and photographs from the productions themselves. The collection came to the Bentley Library partially processed. That arrangement has been retained.

The collection spans the years from 1912 to 1998 with the majority of items falling between the years 1935-1973. The collection has ten series: Correspondence; Honors and Awards; Music Programs and Scores; Newspaper Clippings and Scrapbooks; Papers and Books; Photographs; Audio-Visual Materials; Productions and Performances; Topical Files; and African American Music Collection Numbered Items.